Skin infections can result from bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral causes that enter your body through a cut or wound on your skin.
What is it?
Your skin provides an effective barrier between you and the outside world. However, at times, this barrier function can be compromised, and your skin can get infected with a variety of bacterial, yeast, fungal, viral or parasitic organisms. Hair and nails may sometimes be infected, too. Staph. aureus bacterial infections may appear as small red pustules on your skin, or as larger, more tender nodules. Yeast infections may cause inflammation in your skin folds or under your nails. Fungal infections may appear as athlete’s foot, “jock itch”, or cause thickened and distorted nails.
The team at Chapel Hill Dermatology are experts in the diagnosis of infectious skin diseases and will formulate a treatment plan to clear your infection.
How is it treated?
For a thorough diagnosis and treatment of a skin infection, visit one of our experienced medical providers at Chapel Hill Dermatology. Following a comprehensive examination and assessment of your symptoms, our team may conduct a skin culture to pinpoint the specific infection type. Should the infection persist, worsen or spread, it's crucial to schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified dermatologists to evaluate its severity. While many skin infections resolve independently, severe cases may require prescription antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals or antiparasitic medications. Trust our team to provide personalized care tailored to your specific needs.
Yes, our dermatologists in Chapel Hill provide treatment and diagnosis for various parasitic infections. Parasitic infections with lice may cause itching of the scalp, and infection with the scabies mite can cause all-over itching.
Viral infections like cold sore virus can cause blisters to appear in infected areas, and the chicken pox virus may appear later in life as a painful band of blisters, known as “shingles”.